Nipple and cap construction



Nov. l5, 1938. J. LlTTLE NIPPLE AND CAP CONSTRUCTION Filed NOV. 9, 1935 Patented Nov.1s ,193s

Jesse Little, Warwick,

R. I., assignor to Davol Rubber Company, a corporation of Rhode Island Application November 9, 1935, Serial No. 49,060

2 Claims.

My present invention relates to nipples and caps used for nursing bottles and has particular reference to an improved construction therefor.

Nipples and caps used for nursing bottles are 5 provided with bases having inner beads adapted to t snugly under the rim of a nursing bottle neck, whereby placing the nipple or the cap on the bottle entails a distortion and spreading of the head to permit passage of the bead over the protruding rim of the bottle neck. Quickness and ease of mounting are particularly desirable when the bottle is full of hot milk.

It is the principal object of my inventionto devise a novel construction for a nipple and cap which facilitates mounting the nipple or the cap on the bottle neck. f

Another object of my invention is to provide a novel construction which guides thenurse when mounting the nipple or cap.

With the above and other objects and advantageous features in view, my invention consists of a novel arrangement of parts more fully dis closed in the detailed description following, in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, and more speclcally defined in the claims appended thereto.

In the drawing,

Fig. 1 shows a nipple embodying the invention, mounted on a bottle neck;

Fig. 2 is a central vertical section thereof;

Fig. 3 is a bottom View of the base of the nipple;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing the preferred method of mounting the nipple, and

Fig. 5 vis a view of a cap, partly in section, ernbodying the novel construction.

Fig. 6 is a top plan view of the structure shown in Figures 1, 2, and 3.

Referring to the drawing, the novel nipple II) is made of rubber, and has the usual base II, intermediate portion I2 and tip I3 provided with perforations I4. The base is formed with an inner bead I5, which in the particular embodiment illustrated is an annular flange, and has a tapered edge I6 for facilitating pulling the rim over the bottle neck, and a laterally extending tab I'I adapted to be gripped by the fingers when placing -the nipple on and removing the nipple from the bottle neck. The sides of the annular flange I5 are recessed, as indicated at IB, to provide two spaced abutment shoulders as I9, the two shoulders being in alignment and on a line perpendicular to the axial line of the tab II, whereby they may be set on a bottle neckas indicated in Fig. 4, to form abutments which cooperate with the .'uthumb. Each recess I8 has a relatively long sloping portion 20 which cooperates with the tapered edge I6 and assists in guiding the inner flange I5 over the rim of the bottles; the improved construction thus embodies abutments which assist in holding the back of the nipple in proper mounting position, and sloping sides which facilitate spreading engagement of the sides of the annular flange with the rim of the bottle neck.

The formation of a recess as above described not only provides abutments for the bottle rim, and sloping portions for facilitating mounting, but also reduces the thickness of the flange or bead on the sides at points substantially 90 degrees from the axis of the tab, whereby pulling the tab when mounting the` nipple permits a ready elongation of the thinner elastic material 'at the junction of 'the abutments I9 and slopes 20, thus facilitating the forward movement of the front portion of the nipple and the mounting of the nipple or cap on the bottle rim. The nurse may thus quickly mount the nipple by placing the nipple as shown in Fig. 4, and pulling the tab forwardly. v

The samel construction is applicable to bottle caps, such as indicated Aat 2| in Fig. 5, these caps having an annular bead 22 and a finger engageable tab 23, the bead as illustrated being in the form of an annular flange, although it may be rounded if desired, and having two aligned re' cesses 2l on the sides thereof, positioned as indicated in Fig. 3, to provide abutments 25 and sloping portions 26, whereby the cap may be read. ily mounted by positioning it on a bottle rim in the manner indicated in Fig. 4.

While I have described a specific constructional embodiment of my invention particularly suitable for nipples and caps for nursing bottles, the invention may be used for any container closure which has fiexible sides. The term "bott1e as used in the claims is intended to broadly designate containers having anged rims.

While I have described specific constructional embodiments of my invention, it is obvious that changes in the material used, in theshape of the parts, and in their relative arrangement and functioning, may be made to suit the requirements for different container closures, without departing from the yspirit and the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a device of the ,character described, a body having a base engageable with the rim of, a bottle neck, said base being generally cylindri- 2 'i y l 51,136,514

l 1n :omi md'mvmg nennmu'beed with substnnt'islly'diametrically opposite recesses.

tioned circumterentislly between ssid recesses. each oi' nid recesses having sn sbutment shoulder st the end furthest from said tsb extendinl` transversely o! said bead, the wslls of said recesses sloping at s. decreasing angle with respect' to the I horilontsl plane of said bsse swsr from ssid tsb.

wl Im, 

